憯 (cǎn) - Grieved, sorrowful & painful

憯Tone 3

cǎn ｜ 15 strokes ｜ radical:

偲嫦

憯 · cǎn

Grieved, sorrowful;

painful;

cruel;

unexpectedly, actually (archaic usage).

Grieved, sorrowfulpainfulcruel

Usage highlights

Deep sorrowCruel and ruthlessGrieved and painedUnexpectedlySorrowful appearanceGrieved heart

Synonyms

  • 惨— miserable, tragic, cruel
  • 悲— sad, sorrowful
  • 痛— painful, aching

Antonyms

  • 喜— happy, joyful
  • 乐— pleased, cheerful

Usage & contexts

Examples

  • He felt deep sorrow (憯痛).
  • The cruel punishment shocked everyone (憯酷的刑罚).
  • Unexpectedly, he actually succeeded (憯然成功).
  • The tragic event left everyone in grief (憯怛).

Collocations

  • Deep sorrow(憯痛)
  • Cruel and ruthless(憯酷)
  • Grieved and pained(憯怛)
  • Unexpectedly(憯然)
  • Sorrowful appearance(憯容)
  • Grieved heart(憯心)

Idioms

  • Deeply grieved and pained(憯怛忧伤)
  • Unexpected disaster(憯然之祸)
  • Cruel punishment(憯酷之刑)

Cultural background

FAQ
  • Appears in classical Chinese texts, particularly in poetry and historical records describing grief or cruelty.
  • Used in ancient legal contexts to describe severe punishments.
  • The character carries strong emotional weight, often associated with deep personal or collective tragedy.

FAQ